fanciful devices: From Grandma's sewing room

A Stone Is Nobody's

A man ambushed a stone. Caught it.
Made it a prisoner.
Put it in a dark room and stood guard over it for the rest of his life.

His mother asked why.

He said, because it's held captive, because it is captured.

Look, the stone is asleep, she said, it does not know whether it's in a garden or not. Eternity and the stone
are mother and daughter; it is you who are getting old. The stone is only sleeping.

But I caught it, mother, it is mine by conquest, he said.

A stone is nobody's, not even its own. It is you who are conquered; you are minding the prisoner, which is yourself,
because you are afraid to go out, she said.

Yes yes, I am afraid, because you have never loved me, he said.

Which is true, because you have always been to me as the stone is to you, she said.

Russell Edson

FAQs

1. Are you a Southeast Asian dancing girl from the 1800s?

No, sorry to disappoint. My avatar and banner images are from an ancient book I found in the depths of my grandmother's cabinets. More on that here.

2. How do you make everything look so old?

First, you need a good oxidizer to brush on every bit of metal you can reach. I'll tell you all about it here.

Then there's this wax. I first mentioned it here. You'll have to scroll down a lot.

3. How can you be so productive?

I'm insanely obsessed and I have no offspring. I do nothing else- I don't have a day job, I don't clean my house or cook, I spend all day in pjs, often completely abandoning personal hygiene... I only interact with other humans when I walk my dog. And I like people! But I prefer dogs.

And I'm sloppy- but I make that sloppiness work for me.

4. Any tips you'd like to share?

No! Except for these 16 posts about techniques and this one about how to find your aesthetic.

5. Would you be offended if I took some inspiration from your designs?

Well, I'd be happier if you outright copied them.

No really, imitation is how we learn. I have enough ideas to go around. And even if I don't- please. No one's going to do this obsessively enough to threaten my business. (Probably.) I learned by copying others and I've seen others copy me as a step toward developing their own voice. So feel free. (I'd love if you tossed me a link in my comments, so I can feel like a proud momma.)

6. What do you look like?

Why, what have you heard? Really? Wow.

8/11/10

From Grandma's sewing room

The Winged Energy of Delight. Antique Chandelier and Textile Earrings.

FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE SCISSORS PRINT on a Vintage 1890 Book Page

fancy antique button hairpin constellation

Circa 1900 - Five Pieces of Antique Crochet Lace

NECKLACE sterling with patchwork mixed media

Shabby Cottage French Style Antiqued Hand Stamped Muslin Trim Ribbon German Glass Glitter 001

Little Miss Blue Skies Altered Collage Book Cover OOAK

Sewing machine necklace antique singer style

GRAND OPENING SALE - The Remnant Necklace - The Seamstress Collection

SUPER SALE - vintage yo-yo quilt / spread...and FREE shipping to US

This cute-ass collection by WinsomeTreasures.
Sorry I haven't been blogging as much as usual- I have all kindsa business due to my day job. I asked my head-shrinker to write a note for my folks saying that if I don't quit to do art full-time I'd go on a killing spree. She took it as some kind of humorous comment. Hrumph. I'm about to turn 36 and I'm still scared of my parents! Poop!

2 comments:

Julie Pishny said...: Those dreaded day jobs...whadda ya gonna do??? Girls just wanna have fun, know what I mean? Loved your blog - great collection of things I love. Hugs - Julie; 8/11/10, 9:58 PM
Penelope said...: Did the shrinker write one for you?? REALLY!? OMG I'm so excited. I want you to be a full-time rockstar SO BAD. So bad it's making me write like a teenager.

We're all scared of our parents. Mine still doesn't know I 'forgot' to pay rent for 6 months the last time I lived by myself. Or that I haven't paid my phone bill. Don't tell them!; 8/12/10, 1:13 PM